Ayumi felt like she'd been run over by a car, but she got up the next morning and she got ready and she went to work on time. Once again, Wulf was locked away in his office. She was nervous. The last time he'd done that, she'd wound up agreeing to move in with Rosemary's Baby and had gone off on an adventure with Liam.

Liam.

She shook thoughts of him away, though, when much to her shock and surprise, Bright Stone walked out of Wulf's office. She didn't look into Ayumi's office at all, just strode right past and continued on down towards the elevators.

A few seconds later, Wulf's voice barked over the intercom, telling her to come to his office. She grabbed her planner and some files, not sure what all he'd want to go over, and she scurried up to his door. Before she could knock, though, the heavy slab of wood opened in front of her. She stared in surprise as Katya greeted her.

“I'm so sorry,” the other woman whispered, and Ayumi's surprise turned to shock when she realized Katya had been crying.

“What's going on? Is everything alright?” she asked, hurrying into the office, worried something had happened. Was someone sick? Was Ms. Stone alright? His other sister, Genevieve? She'd gone on a long trip to the U.K. – a large and potentially dangerous city.

“Everything's fine, sit down,” Wulf instructed. He wasn't looking at her, though, but was leaned back in his chair with a hand over his face. Ayumi frowned, but did as she was told. Katya sniffled and took the seat next to her.

“Did someone die?” Ayumi finally asked bluntly. Katya actually laughed at the question, which also seemed to answer it.

“How long have we known each other?” Wulf asked in return. Ayumi thought for a second.

“I think six years, now? Or closer to seven,” she guessed. He nodded his head.

“I meant what I said. You're like family to me, Ayumi. I would give you the shirt off my back,” he told her, and she nodded.

“I know. I believe you, Wulf,” she replied, her mind still reeling from the bizarreness of the situation.

“Then why did you feel the need to lie to me?” he demanded.

Ayumi stared at him for a second. Then glanced at Katya. His girlfriend shrugged and held up her hands.

“It wasn't me,” was all she said. Wulf narrowed his eyes.

“Which just makes it worse. The two closest people to me, and they both lied to me,” he growled. “Do you have any idea how goddamn insulting that is?”

Ayumi understood Katya's fears, she really did. This was the man Katya loved, and he was clearly upset, as well as very offended. It must be hard to see someone she cared about hurting so much, and scary to think he might possibly leave her because of it. So Ayumi took a deep breath and decided to be strong for the both of them.

“What, exactly, did we lie to you about?” Ayumi asked in level, calm voice.

“Where to start?” he asked. “How about Seattle? How was your vacation?”

“Okay, I'll admit, that was childish of me,” she agreed. “I shouldn't have lied to you about where I was, and I'm sorry. But really, where I spend my vacation is none of your business.”

“Of course it's my fucking business. I'm your friend. I worry about you!” he snapped.

“I know. And I appreciate that. Still doesn't make it your business.”

“Then how about who you went on vacation with? I specifically asked you about Eden, and you specifically said there was nothing,” he pointed out.

“Which wasn't a lie. Liam and I weren't dating, and I had no plans to go on that trip with him. After I spoke with you, I remembered him inviting me on his road trip. It sounded a lot more relaxing than a grueling marathon in Seattle, so on a whim I decided to take him up on his offer.”

“You know, Ayumi,” Wulf's voice had turned steely. “You can word this any way you want, say it however you want, if it makes you feel better. Bottom line, though, is you did a shitty fucking thing to a friend who's done nothing but be kind and honest to you, and we both know it.”

Okay, ouch. That one hurt. She winced at his words and lost some of her steam.

“I'm ... I'm sorry. I really am. I wasn't sure what was going on between us, and I know you don't really like him, so I didn't want you getting upset over something that might not be anything,” she tried to explain. “I didn't want to lie to you. I've never lied to you. I just didn't ... I don't know. I was confused and embarrassed and I didn't want you to think less of me.”

“Well too fucking late.”

Her jaw dropped.

“Wulf!” Katya snapped, but he just held up his hand.

“Because I could forgive all of that, I really could. I even understand it. But Brighton,” he hissed his sister's name through clenched teeth. “You fucking knew. You knew they'd been sleeping together, and you didn't say a word. That's my sister, Ayumi. My fucking baby sister. Maybe I don't have a right to know about your life, but I sure as shit have a right to know about hers, especially when it concerns her well being. You knew about it and you said nothing.”

In all the years Ayumi had known Wulf, she'd never seen him so upset. Suddenly, she was very, very scared. She'd never been fired before, didn't know how she would handle it.

“I'm sorry,” she whispered. “It wasn't ... I didn't. I told them I would tell you if you asked about it, that I wouldn't lie about it. But they're both consenting adults, it was their business, their relationship.”

“I can't listen to this bullshit anymore,” he growled. “You both knew and you both lied to me. Un-fucking-believable.”

Ayumi gathered up what little courage she had left and sat up straight again.

“Don't blame Katya, she really didn't know about Liam and Brie,” she insisted. “I was the one who did, and didn't say anything to you. Not Katya. I never told her about it.”

“No, but she found out about it and still didn't tell me. I had to hear it from Brighton herself. The fact that neither of you felt comfortable coming to me and talking to me about this, at any point in time ... my god, am I that much of a monster?” he asked. Katya dropped her face into her hands and Ayumi struggled to keep from crying.

“No. No, you're not a monster. We just know you care about her so much, we didn't want you to be upset. We didn't -”

Wulf slashed his arm through the air, cutting her off.

“You're officially on leave.”

Ayumi gasped again.

“Are you serious?”

“Until further notice. I'm not suspending your pay, but I don't want you in the office right now. I don't know if I can work with someone who can keep things like this from me. Someone who can lie to my face.”

“This must be a joke! I've seen you lie to lots of people! All the time! You lied to her, for christ's sake! For months!” Ayumi shouted, gesturing to Katya. Wulf stared coolly back at Ayumi.

“Maybe. But I never lied to you.”

Now she just felt like shit. She grabbed her planner off his desk and stumbled away from her chair.

“Fine. Okay. I'm sorry I lied to you, Wulf. I really am. And if you can't work with me anymore, I understand,” she babbled, backing away towards his door. “Just please, if you're going to fire me, can I at least have two weeks notice? So I can say goodbye to everyone.”

“Jesus, I must be a fucking monster,” he snapped. “I'm not gonna fucking fire you, and if I was, I would certainly give you notice. Go home, Ayumi, and make sure Brie doesn't sleep with any of my other old business partners!”

As she numbly walked to her office and collected her belongings, Ayumi couldn't believe it. Could not believe it. How had life turned to shit so fast?

She had known better. When she'd realized Liam and Brie had slept together, she'd known she should tell Wulf. He'd want to know. And if she'd really thought about it, she would've also known he wouldn't have killed Liam. At worst, he would've moved Brie home. Why hadn't Ayumi just trusted her gut and told him!?

Because I eventually ruin everything.

*

“THAT WAS, WITHOUT A doubt,” Katya finally spoke after Ayumi had run off. “The biggest asshole move I've ever seen you make.”

“Me!?” Wulf exclaimed, pressing his hand to his chest. “I'm the one who got fucking lied to!”

“Oh, shut up,” Katya hissed. “You don't like getting lied to? Get over it. I got lied to for months, and I'm still here.”

“Hey, we agreed we'd leave the past in the -”

“I get why you're upset,” she interrupted him. “I felt like shit when I came home last night because I wanted to tell you so badly. I almost did. But it was Brie and Liam's secret to tell. And I sure as shit wasn't going to tell you about him and Ayumi because it wasn't any of my business.”

“You lied to me,” Wulf said in a strained voice. “I asked you what was wrong. I asked you to talk me. You said everything was fine. You lied to my face. You know me, Tocci. You knew this would upset me. Why didn't you just tell me?”

She was at a loss. She finally shrugged and just smiled sadly at him.

“Because I knew it would upset you,” she said in a soft voice.

“I have to work,” he said, sitting up straight. “Without Ayumi, my work load just doubled. I'm sleeping here tonight.”

“You're not coming home?” she asked.

“No. I love you, Tocci, but ... I don't like you a whole lot right now,” he told her.

“This isn't fair, and you know it,” she said, climbing to her feet.

“Life isn't fair. I'll call you if I leave.”

“Don't be like this, Wulf,” she begged. “We're better than this. Talk to me.”

“Apparently, we're not. No, apparently, I'm some ogre who everyone is scared of telling the truth to.”

“Well,” Katya huffed, grabbing her purse and jacket. “You're certainly bent on proving us all right, aren't you!?”

And with that, she stomped out the door and slammed it so hard, she could hear his bookshelves rattling.

Good. I hope one of his stupid plaques falls and hits him on his stupid head and makes him realize how goddamn stupid he's being!